Grammys 2024: Watch Billy Joel perform new single ‘Turn The Lights Back On’
Following the release of his comeback single, ‘Turn The Lights Back On’, Billy Joel provided the track with its live debut at the 66th edition of the Grammys. Jazz vocalist Laufey joined him for the performance.
The ceremony, which took place at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on February 4th, marked Joel’s first performance at the Grammys since 2002 when he duetted with Tony Bennett on ‘New York State of Mind’.
Joel has an illustrious history with the ceremony. The singer-songwriter was first nominated in 1979 when he won ‘Record of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’ for ‘Just The Way You Are’. In total, throughout his career, he has been nominated for 23 awards and won five gongs.
The new stand-alone single from Joel, which closed the ceremony, is his first new track since 2007’s ‘Christmas in Fallujah’ and ‘All My Life’. The New Yorker hasn’t shared a traditional pop record since 1993’s River of Dreams and still has no ambitions to make another record.
Following the release of ‘Turn The Lights Back On’, Joel explained his hiatus from recording during an appearance on Audacy Check-In. “It was fun. Music is fun. Rock ‘n’ roll was fun. It was all about having fun — and I kind of lost that and I turned the lights off because it wasn’t fun anymore,” he quipped.
Joel continued, “I studiously avoided it because songwriting had become painful. I have this high bar. I said to myself, ‘If I don’t reach that bar, I beat myself up and I punched myself and I hate myself.’ So, I stopped doing it because I got tired of feeling like that.”
Other artists who performed at the Grammys include Joni Mitchell, Billie Eilish, SZA, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, U2, and Burna Boy also performed at the ceremony. Meanwhile, Tracy Chapman teamed up with country star Luke Combs on ‘Fast Car’, which Combs topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2023.
Watch Joel perform ‘Turn The Lights Back On’ below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.